{"id":16349,"date":"2021-03-10T20:02:29","date_gmt":"2021-03-10T20:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/?p=16349"},"modified":"2021-07-03T21:38:38","modified_gmt":"2021-07-03T21:38:38","slug":"ayris-pumping-station-house-southend-waterworks-company","status":"publish","type":"southendwaterworks","link":"https:\/\/ghostofthedoll.co.uk\/tracingghosts\/southendwaterworks\/southend-waterworks-company\/ayris-pumping-station-house-southend-waterworks-company\/","title":{"rendered":"AYRIS | Pumping Station House, Thundersley, Essex | Southend Waterworks Company"},"content":{"rendered":"

There were three residential properties built in the early 1900’s by Southend Waterworks Company<\/strong> in Thundersley, Essex, which were associated with its reservoir and two pumping stations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pumping Station Cottage<\/strong>\u00a0was the property associated with Thundersley Pumping Station <\/strong>(aka No.7), which was first pumped in 1899<\/strong>. The house is now known as 17 Chancel Close<\/strong>, and the pumping station was closed and demolished in the 1940s or early 1950s and the land built on for housing.<\/p>\n

AYRES ~ 1920-1931<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Henry Hawksley AYRIS<\/strong> Civil Engineer for Southend Waterworks and wife Violet Vashti<\/strong> FOX<\/strong> were most likely the second residents of Pumping Station Cottage<\/strong>, following on from the previous occupants Alfred Charles NOAKES<\/strong><\/a> and family in c.1918<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This took a bit of researching to find, as the along with new tenets, the property also changed names. From 1920-1930, the address was listed as “Great Tarpots”, Pumping Station, London Road, Thundersley<\/strong> in Electoral Records. London Road was (and still is) the main road which ran along the bottom of Thundersley, with Great Tarpots and Little Tarpots directly underneath on the map where the pumping station sat. In 1918-1919, Henry and his Violet were listed at “Great Tarpots”, London Road, Thundersley<\/strong>, then the address included Pumping Station<\/strong> from 1920 up to 1930 when the online records finish. This was a hugely enjoyable family to research!<\/em><\/p>\n

Henry Hawksley AYRIS<\/strong> married Violet Vashti<\/strong> FOX<\/strong> on 13th Nov 1909<\/strong> in Paddington, London when they were both age 26. Henry studied to become a Civil Engineer in London, following in both his father and grandfather’s footsteps (specifically water related), and was listed as a student attached to the Institution of Civil Engineers<\/strong> between 1901-1909. His grandfather John AYRIS<\/strong> was the first Managing Director of Southend Waterworks<\/strong>, and his father Henry Crowquill AYRIS<\/strong> had been Deputy Manager (more on these two below). Henry moved to Southend On Sea and began working for the Southend Waterworks Company in 1906<\/strong>. Presumably this is how he met Violet, and they had two children together. The middle name of “Billham” was a nod to one of the managing directors of Southend Waterworks.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. John Bilham Ayris<\/strong> (1910-1932, age 22)<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Betty Joan Ayris<\/strong> (1914-2015, age 100)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In 1911<\/strong> Henry, Violet and son were living with Violet’s mother in Southend, and moved around the city a few times before turning up in Thundersley in 1918<\/strong> where they moved into Pumping Station Cottage<\/strong>. They remained there until 1931<\/strong>, then moved to Clement’s Hall in Hockley were they established a children’s home. Tragedy struck shortly after this as in 1932 <\/strong>their son John was killed in a motor cycle accident at age 22. He was discovered lying unconscious early Sunday morning on 10th July next to his damaged motorcycle, having previously attended a dance at Tarpot Hall in New Thundersley. He died before arriving at Southend Hospital.<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t